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With hearty oats, crunchy pecans, raisins, and chocolate chips, these Chewy Granola Bars are loaded with the good stuff! They’re perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Lightened Up Homemade Chewy Granola Bars
Traditional homemade granola bars are calorie bombs and can be surprisingly high in fat. To lower the fat and calories in these chewy granola bars, I started with the recipe for my Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. I used that as a base and made some modifications to transform the cookies into chewy bars. It’s no surprise, they disappeared quickly in my house! Like my Low Fat Chewy Bars with Pecans Raisins and Chocolate, Morning Maple Cranberry Pecan Oat Bars, and Banana Split Quinoa Bars, these are easy to make and great for a quick healthy snack.
Why These Chewy Granola Bars Will Be a Hit
If you’re looking for an after school snack that’s healthier than store-bought options, these homemade granola bars are perfect. Kids love them—and you will too!
- Lower in fat: A few simple swaps result in granola bars that are every bit as delicious and chewy as traditional bars, without the extra calories.
- Customizable: Although I use pecans, raisins, and chocolate chips, you can stir in any add-ins you and your family enjoy.
- Grab-and-go snack: Add your homemade granola bars to school lunches or use them whenever you need a snack to bring with you.
Chewy Granola Bars
These moist and chewy low-fat granola bars are loaded with oats, chocolate chips, raisins and pecans in every bite.
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 1 square or bar
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour*, or 1 cup oats finely ground in food processor or blender
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup unpacked brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups quick oats*
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Line a 9 x 9 baking pan with 2 long pieces of parchment paper, long enough to go up over the sides for easy removal.
- Lightly spray with oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, with a mixer cream together the butter and the sugar on medium speed.
- Add the egg followed by the honey, applesauce and vanilla extract.
- Working by hand, stir in the flour mixture and the oats until just combined and no streaks of flour remain; stir in the chocolate chips, raisins and nuts.
- Spoon oats onto prepared baking dish, flattening to make even.
- Bake for about 23-25 minutes, or until light brown at the edges. They will seem soft and undercooked, but once they cool they will set completely.
- Cool completely on a wire rack then refrigerate before cutting.
- This will help them hold together better.
- To cut use a long serrated bread knife and cut in a sawing motion.
Last Step:
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*use gluten-free oats if you are on a gluten free diet
Nutrition
Serving: 1 square or bar, Calories: 183.1 kcal, Carbohydrates: 29.7 g, Protein: 2.8 g, Fat: 7.8 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 15.5 mg, Sodium: 162.5 mg, Fiber: 2.6 g, Sugar: 17.4 g
Ingredients You’ll Need
Most of the ingredients you’ll need for these chewy granola bars are pantry staples. See the recipe card above for exact measurements.
- Oat Flour, or instead of buying oat flour, you can grind quick or rolled oats in your food processor until it forms a flour.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda for a little rise.
- Salt to add balance and enhance the flavor of the granola bars.
- Ground Cinnamon for cozy flavor.
- Unsalted Butter, which adds some richness.
- Brown Sugar: You can use either dark or light brown sugar.
- Egg to bind the chewy granola bars together.
- Honey: This sweetens the bars and helps with the binding.
- Unsweetened Applesauce allows us to add less fat to the recipe.
- Vanilla Extract enhances the flavor.
- Quick Oats: These are just the right texture for making granola bars. If you only have rolled oats on hand, you can pulse them in your food processor to chop them a bit.
- Dark Chocolate Chips, or chopped dark chocolate from a bar.
- Raisins: Another element that adds some sweetness and chewy texture.
- Pecans for crunch and some added protein.
How to Make Chewy Granola Bars
It’s easy to make homemade granola bars! See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a pan with pieces of parchment paper to create an overhang. (You’ll use the overhang to lift the bars out of the pan.) Lightly coat the parchment with nonstick spray or oil.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: Whisk the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, cream the butter and the sugar with a mixer on medium speed. Beat in the egg, followed by the honey, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
- Finish the Granola Bar Mixture: Stir the dry ingredients and oats into the wet ingredients, then fold in the chocolate chips, raisins, and nuts.
- Bake: Spread the oat mixture into the baking dish, then bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the bars are lightly browned on the edges.
- Cool and Cut: Let the bars cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate them to set. Cut with a serrated bread knife, using a sawing motion. You can cut them into long bars or squares.
More Granola Bar Mix-Ins
As long as you stick with the same amount of mix-ins, you can add anything you like to these chewy granola bars. Here are some more ideas.
- Nuts: Chopped peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, or macadamia nuts.
- Seeds: Pepitas, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, or hemp hearts.
- Dried Fruit: Chopped apricots, cranberries, coconut flakes, or cherries.
- Sweet Things: Mini M&Ms, peanut butter chips, milk or semisweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, dehydrated mini marshmallows.
Storage
- Refrigerator: If you’d like, you can wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap or just store them all in one airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: Freeze these chewy granola bars for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before eating.
